The Floriana local council has distanced itself from the temporary traffic arrangements that came into effect yesterday. The council had nothing to do with any traffic problems that could erupt as a result of the closure of Sarria Road, an irritated mayor, Nigel Holland, said.
The road has been closed because the parking area for public buses in St James Ditch, just outside the Valletta bastions, has been relocated to Mall Street and to the Floriana Granaries for four weeks so that work on the new Valletta terminus can be carried out in preparation for the forthcoming public transport reform.
Sarria Road is expected to be closed for at least a month while works related to the terminus will take up to 13 weeks to complete.
During a meeting with Transport Malta on Thursday, the local council was given 24 hours to come up with an alternative location where buses could park while the work was being carried out, Mr Holland said.
The council proposed Notre Dame Ditch, to the left of Portes des Bombes, but the proposal was turned down. The council was told the longer distance from Notre Dame Ditch to the Triton Fountain, as compared to the distance from the Granaries, would hinder traffic coordination.
Mr Holland insisted that, although parking lots in Notre Dame Ditch would have had to be given up, this would not have been to the detriment of Floriana residents. On the other hand, buses parked around the Granaries and on Mall Street had taken up residential parking spaces. The council is especially worried that, although one lane in Sarria Road will be open to traffic in four weeks’ time, there might be serious traffic congestion when St Anne Street is closed for carnival in March and for the St Publius feast celebrations in early May.
Mr Holland said a meeting to discuss carnival arrangements would be held on Tuesday between the Carnival Committee, Transport Malta, the police and the council.
Transport Malta reacted saying the temporary traffic and parking arrangements were the best solution in the circumstances. It regretted the inconvenience caused to Floriana residents and to the business community
It said various other proposals had been considered, including the Notre Dame Ditch, public car parks, the Park and Ride area and Sarria Road. Taking into consideration the manoeuvrability of buses, general traffic management and safety measures for road users, among others, it was decided that the most feasible option would be the closure of Sarria Road.